PM pushes for completion of key infrastructure projects

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday pushed for completion of projects in key infrastructure sectors like railways, roads and ports as he took stock of the performance of these sectors, vital for revival of the sagging economy. At a two-hour long meeting, ministers of the railways, ports and road presented the progress reports on the targets set in June this year. Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia were also present in the meeting, among others.

Sources privy to the meeting told PTI that Road Ministry exuded confidence of building 3,000 km highways this fiscal, 25 per cent more than 2,400 km built in the last fiscal. As far as Railways is concerned, the Ministry is believed to have communicated that it has already completed 150 of the 238 railway lines. The remaining 88 lines are in the last mile stage and are expected to be completed within this fiscal.

The Shipping Ministry has pointed out that out of the targeted 42 projects, 38 would be completed before March. Work on certain projects could not be carried in full swing during the monsoon period. Sources said the Prime Minister laid special emphasis on completion of the projects in time and asked the Ministries concerned to focus on completion of the ongoing projects.

At a two-hour long meeting, ministers of the railways, ports and road presented the progress reports on the targets set in June this year.

The Prime Minister, they said, asked the Ministries to tackle all issues that are coming in the way for completion of projects. Singh had earlier said bottlenecks needed to be removed to revive India's growth story.

The Prime Minister had in June set an investment target of at least Rs 2 lakh crore for core sector projects in the current fiscal in a bid to revive the economic growth.

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